Vapor regulator and means for supporting same



Feb. 14, 1933. E. A. RUSSELL 1,897,215

VAPOR REGULATOR AND MEANS FDR SUPPORTING SAME Filed April 3, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 1 l w VA fiasse P @MWZZ.

AILGI TTES Feb. 14, 1933. E. A. RUSSELL VAPOR REGULATOR AND MEANS FORSUPPORTING SAME I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inn/2mm j dlfifdiuyael Filed April 3,1931 Feb. 14, 1933. E A, RUSSELL 1,897,215

VAPOR REGULATOR AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAME Filed April 5, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE jEDWARD A. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VAPOR GAR HEATINGCOMPANY, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK VAPORREGULATOR AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAME Application filed April 3, 1931.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a vaporregulator and means for supporting same. In steam or vapor heatingsystems for railway cars, a vapor regulator is custon'iarily used forcontrolling the supply of steam to the radiators of the heating system.This regulator embodies a thermostatically operated valve, past whichthe steam must flow from the source of supply to the radiating system.This valve is controlled by a thermostatic element housed in a chamberto which steam flows from the radiators, when tae radiators arecompletely filled with steam. The expansion of this thermostatic elementcloses the valve to cut oil further flow of steam to the radiators.

It is sometimes desirable or necessary to remove the vapor regulator forpurposes of replacement repair, and since there are at least threeseparate pipe connections leading to the regulator, this is ordinarily arather laborious process. Accort ing to the present invention, asupporting member or block is provided with which the pipe connectionsare permanently made, and the va por regulator unit is easilv detachablefrom this supporting member. The improved supporting member is providedwith a plurality of pipe connections so that the member may be mountedin almost any desired position and 'cnveniently connected with pipes lealin from a vruciet of diiterent directions.

The general object of this invention to provide an improved vaporregulator and means for supporting same. such as b "fly Serial No.527,456.

lowing detailed description of one approved form of apparatus embodyingthe principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of theimproved supportin member and the distributing pipe connectionstherewith. V

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved vapor regulator. While thevapor regulator shown in Fig. 2 has been detached from the supportingmember shown in Fi 1, the regulator and supporting member are shown insutficiently contiguous positions to make apparent the cooperatingconnections therebetween.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are three substantially diagrammatic views showingalternative positions in which the regulator supporting member can bemounted.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the vapor regulator, the view beingtaken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the vapor regulator, parts being brokenaway, and the upper portion being shown in vertical section, takensubstantially on the line 7'7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section, on a larger scale, taken substantiallyon the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 99 ofFig. 7. V

The improved vapor regulator is indicated generally at A, the supportingmember at B, while C indicates the distributing valve for controllingthe flow of steam or vapor through the radiator, and D indicates themain train pipe through which steam is supplied from the locomotive orother source.

The improved vapor regulator will be hereinatter described more indetail, but for the present it will be suiiicient to state that thisregulator comprises a head 1, in which are formed an inlet chamber 2 andan outlet chamber .3. A housing 4 depending from the head 1, has areturn chamber 5 in its lower portion, in which is mounted thethermostatic element 6. A valve 7 controls the passage 8 leading frominlet chamber 2 to outlet chamber 3. Inlet port 9 and outlet port 10lead respectively into the inlet and outlet chambers 2 and 3, and areturn port 11 leads through certain passages to the return chamber 5.The ports 9, 10 and 11 are all 5 positioned adjacent one another in oneside of the head 1, so as to conveniently make connection withcorresponding ports in the supporting member B, as hereinafterdescribed. In the general operation of this vapor regulator,

steam enters inlet chamber 2 through port 9 from the source of supply,then passes through passage 8 into outlet chamber 3. and through outletport 10 and suitable connections to and through the radiator. The

return from the radiator connects with port 11, and when the radiatorhas become filled with steam or vapor, this steam flowing into returnchamber 5 will expand the thermostatic element 6 and through suitableconnections, hereinafter described, move the entirely separated inletand outletchambers 12 and 13, respectively, and return chamber 14. Ports15, 16 and 17 lead respectively into the chambers 12, 13 and 14, andthese ports are all formed in one face of the casting 3'02 and areadapted to mate respectively with the ports 9, l0 and 11 of the vaporregulator, when the regulator A is connected with and supported from themember B, as shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. Each of the ports 15,

16 and 17 is provided with a projecting cylindrical nipple 18 adapted toproject into the cylindrical passage 19 of the corresponding port inhead 1 of the vapor regulator and I, seat against a gasket 20 positionedagainst 49' an annular shoulder 21 surrounding this port.

A similar annular nipple 22, of larger diameter,is formed on the port ofthe regulator and seats against a gasket 23 at the bottom M of anannular channel 24 surrounding the port in supporting member B. In thismanner, a doubly sealed steam-tight joint is formed around each steampassage between supporting member B and regulator A, when the membersare joined,'as shown in Figs. 6

to 9 inclusive. The members A and B may be secured together in anysuitable manner. As

here shown, bolts 25 extend through ears 26 formed on supporting memberB, and ears 27 formed on head 1 of the regulator A, and the members Aand B are forced tightly together to establish the steam-tightconnections by screwing the nuts 28 on the threaded ends of bolts 25. Itwill be apparent that by simply removing the two bolts 25, the vaporregulator A can be removed as a unit from the supporting member withoutdisturbing any of the pipe fittings, hereinafter described.

Steam from main tram pipe I) flows I, through inlet pipe 29 into chamber12' of supporting member B and thence through and when in open positionthe steam entering the valve from pipe 30 will flow through theradiating loop, indicated by pipe connections 32 and 33, and thence backfrom the valve C through pipe 31. When valve G is in closed position,steam will be shunted directly from pipe 30 to pipe 31 and the radiatingloop will be cut off from the source of steam supply.

Threaded passages 34 lead through the rear walls of chambers 12 and 13in member B, and similar threaded passa es 35 lead through the end wallsof casting into these chambers 12 and 13. As shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 8,the pipes 29 and 30 are connected into the threaded openings 34 in therear of casting B, and the openings 35 in the ends of the casting areclosed by screw plugs 36. Similarly, a threaded passage 37 leads intothe rear of chamber 14 and similar threaded passages 38 and 39 leadthrough the two end walls of this chamber. As shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 9,the return pipe 31 is threaded into opening 37 and the two alternativeopenings 38 and 39 are closed by screw plugs 40. It will now be apparentthat the distributing pipes 29, 30 and 31 may be alternatively connectedwith any one of the threaded openings leading into chambers 12, 13 and14, the openings not so used being closed by the screw plugs 36 and 40.In this way the supporting member B may be mounted in a plurality ofdiflerent positions with respect to the connecting pipes,'as illustratedby the examples shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5. If desired, means may beprovided for supporting the member B directly from the frame-work orbody of the car, or the supporting member B may be carried directly bythe pipes with which it is connected. In any case, the supporting memberBremains permanently in place on the car, but the vapor regulator A maybe easily removed and replaced without in any way disturbing thesupporting member B or the pipe-fittings connected therewith.

The improved vapor regulator A will now' be described more in detail. Avalve-seat ring 41, in which is formed the steam passage 8, is seatedagainst an annular shoulder 42 formed between chambers 2 and 3, by meansof the hollow cylindrical cage 43, which is screwed at 44, into the openend of chamber 2. Cage 43 is provided with a plurality of passages 45 topermit the free flow Lil of steam therethrough. The end of cage 43 outerbonnet 52, screwed into the head 1 at- 53 closes the opening in this endof the regulator.

The valve 7 is positioned within the low pressure outlet chamber 3, andis adapted to seat against ring t to close the steam passage 8. Valve 7is movable toward or from its seatbetween the guide ribs 5%. A valvestem projects through an opening 56 formed in valve 7, and is providedwith an enlarged hemispherical head 57, which bears against acorrespondingly spherically curved seat in the valve member. A plug 58is screwed into the opening in valve 7 above the head 57, so as to sealthe passage and prevent the flow of steam through the valve member. Atthe same time, a certain limited rocking adjustment is permitted etweenvalve stem 55 and valve 7. The valve stem 55 projects through the valvepassage 8 and through the aligned opening 47 in the opposite end of cageL3, thence through the flexible bellows 4.8, and

' the outer end of this bellows is sealed to the valve stem in anysuitable manner, as indicated at 59.

It will now be apparent that this flexi ls bellows 48 forms a portion ofthe enclosing T wall of relatively high pressure inlet cham- 5 existingin chamber 2 will tend to expand this bellows and pull valve stem 55toward the left 8), thus moving valve 7 to closed position against theseat e1. On the other hand, the higher pressure existing in chamber 2tends to open valve 7, this being partially resisted by thesubstantially atmospheric pressure existing in outlet chamber 3. Byproperly proportioning the diameters of steam passage 8 andexpansiblebellows 48, the relative pressures exerted on valve 7 tendingto move same respectively toward and from closed position, may be sovaried that a pressure differential of any desired magnitude may beprovided, tending to either open or close the valve. This pressuredifferential exerted on valve 7 will be constant, regardless of anyvariations in pressure of the steam supply with which chamber 2 is incommunication. In the example the parts can be so designed that thisconstant pressure differential will tend to hold th valve closed.

In order to positively move the valve 7 in opposition to the pressuredifierential thus established, a valve stem is positioned in the outletchamber 3, this valve stem having a head Glen one end and projectingthrough a nut 62 screwed into an opening in nut 58, previouslydescribed. The opposite end 63 of valve stem 60 is guided in a passage64 termed in the bonnet or plug 65, screwed at 66, into the opening inthe end of chamber 3. A rock-shaft 67 is ournaled in a stuffing box 68mounted in an upper extension 69 of the chamber 3. A crank arm 70 formedon the inner end of rock shaft 67 projects down through a slot 71,formed in an intermediate portion of valve stem 60. It will now beapparent that as the rock shaft 67 is oscillated in one direction ortheother, it will, through crank arm 7 O, reciprocate valve stem 60 andthereby move valve 7 toward or from its seat. 2

A downwardly projecting extension 72 of the head 1 encloses a chamber 73, into which the return port 11 leads. An outer tube 74 and aconcentric inner tube 75 extend downwardly from member 72 to abell-shaped casting 76 in which thermostat chamber 5 is formed. Theinner tube 75 is threaded at its upper and lower ends so as to supportthe lower casting 76 from the upper casting 72, and the outer tube 74:fits recesses in the respective upper and lower members so as to be heldin coaxial relation with inner tube 75 with an annular space 77therebetween. The condensate flowing in from the heating system throughport 11 drains down through the annular space 77 and out through drainpassages 78 formed in the lower casting 76. The greater portion of thereturned steam or hot gases flow down through the inner tube 7 5 intothermostat chamber 5. A closure member 7 9 is removably secured to thelower end of housing 76 so as to substantially close the thermostatchamber 5, except for a restricted outlet passage 80, through whichcondensate may drain and excess gases flow out. An adjusting screw 8imounted in said closure member 7 9 carries at its upper end a head orrest 82, upon which is supported the expansible thermostatic disc 6. Anoperating rod 83, which extends up vertically through the inner tube 75,is formed at its lower end with a head 84- which rests upon the upperwall of thermostatic disc 6. A plurality of rounded projections 85 areformed on the respective sides of rod 83, so as to loosely guide andcenter this rod for its vertical movement through inner tube 75,without-materially interfering with the flow of fluid through tube 7 5into chamber 5. The upper end of operating rod 83 projects through aslide bearing 86, formed in the top ofhousing 72, and a pivoteye 87adjustably mounted by screw 88 in the upper end of rod 83 is pivoted at89 to the outer end of a crank arm 90 clamped at 91 on the outer end ofrock shaft 67. It will now be apparent that when the thermostatic disc 6expands, the operating rod 83 will be moved vertically upward, thusthrough crank arm 90 oscillating rock shaft 67, which will, throughcrank arm and stem 60, move valve 7 against its seat 41 to close thestem passage 8.

Before the radiating system has become filled with steam, the pressurediflerential exerted by the higher pressure steam in chamber 2, servesto open valve 7 and permit steam to flow through passage 8 into chamber3 and thence into and through the radiators. When the radiating systemhas become filled with steam, so that excess steam flows back throughthe passages hereinabove described, and into thermostat chamber 5, thethermostat 6 will be heated and will expand thereby lifting rod 83 andthrough the connections previously described, moving valve 7 to closedposition so as to cut off the further flow of steam from chamber 2 intochamber 3. As the steam condenses, thermostatic disc 6 will cool off andcontract, thus permitting the pressure difierential to again open valve7 and admit additional steam to the radiating system.

While the steam or vapor in the radiating system is intended to operateat substantially atmospheric pressure, there may be considerablevariation in the pressure of the steam supplied from train pipe Dintoand through the inlet chamber 2. However, by means of the compensatingbellows 48 and associated parts, as already described, only asubstantially constant pressure differential tending to move valve 7 inone direction will always be effective, regardless of any changes in theabsolute pressure of the steam in chamber 2. This pressure differential,which may be a relatively small force,-is all that must be opposed bythe thermostatic disc in its valve closing operation, so that this discneed not be very powerful.

It will be noted that this improved vapor regulator is very simple, theparts are all very accessible, and when once given a proper initialadjustment, needs no further adjustment even though the steam pressuresin the system may vary considerably. By simply unfastening the thumb-nut92 and swinging the closure 79 downwardy about its pivot 93, thethermostatic disc 6 may easily re removed and replaced. The entire vaporre ulator assembly can be removed as a unit by simply removing the nuts28 on bolts 25. All

of the parts of the valve mechanism in head 1 are accessible by removingthe end bonnets 50, 52 and 65. The supporting member B is a very simplecasting which needs no further attention when once mounted in properposition and may be left permanently in place. The alternative pipeconnections provided in this casting permit the supporting member to bemounted in a plurality of alternative positions and permit theconnecting piping to be led away in a variety of different directions.

The compensating or balancing feature of the vapor regulator hereindisclosed is claimed in the copending application of Edward A. Russell,Serial No. 567,891, filed October 9, 1931, which forms a continuation inpart of the present application. I claim: 1

1. A supporting member adapted to support and make fluid distributingconnections with a vapor regulator, said member being formed with inlet,outlet and return chambers, ports in one wall of said membercommunicating respectively with said chambers and adapted to registerwith similar ports in the regulator when the regulator is connected withand supported from the member, there being threaded openings leadinginto the chambers with which the respective distributing pipesare-connected.

2. A supporting member adapted to support and make fluid distributingconnections with a vapor regulator, said member being formed with inlet,outlet and return chambers, ports in one wall of said membercommunicating respectively with said chambers and adapted to registerwith similar ports in the regulator when the regulator is connected withand supported from the member, there being a plurality of threadedopenings leading into more than one side of each chamber with whichdistributing pipes may be alternatively connected, and plugs for closingthe openings with which no pipes are' connected.

3. Means for connecting a vapor regulator with the distributing pipes ofa vapor heating system, comprising a supporting member with which saiddistributing pipes are connected and provided with ports communicatingwith said pipes respectively, said vapor regulator having portscorresponding to the ports in said supporting member, and

means for detachably securing said regulator to said supporting memberwith said corresponding ports in registerwith each. other. 4:. Means forconnecting a vapor regulator with the distributing pipes of a vaporheating system, comprising a supporting member with which saiddistributing pipes have permanent threaded connections and which areprovided with ports communicating with said pipes respectively, saidvapor regulator having ports corresponding to the ports in saidsupporting member and means for detachably securing said regulator tosaid supporting member with said corresponding ports in register witheach other. a

5. Means for connecting a vapor regulator with the distributing. pipesof a vapor heating system, comprising a supporting member with whichsaid distributing pipes are connected and provided with portscommunicating with said pipes respectively, said Vapor regulator havingports corresponding to the ports in said supporting member, and meansfor detachably securing said regulator to said supporting member withsaid corresponding ports in register with each other, said regulator andsupporting member being formed around said ports with inter-engagingnipples and recesses into which said nipples fit to provide steam tightjoints.

6. Means for connecting a vapor regulator with the supply pipes andreturn pipe of a vapor heating system, comprising a supporting member towhich said supply pipes and said return pipe have threaded connectionsand which is formed with ports communicating with said pipesrespectively, said vapor regulator having ports adapted to register withthe ports of said support respectively, and means for detachablysecuring said regulator to said supporting member, said regulator andsupport being provided with meeting faces formed around said ports withinter-engaging nipples and recesses into which said nipples fit toprovide steam-tight joints at these places.

EDWVARD A. RUSSELL.

